FIRST LOOK and REVIEW: Tiana's Palace Is Another Must-Visit Disney Restaurant

We’re almost there!

If you sang that in your head to the tune of “Almost There” from The Princess and the Frog, then you are in the right place! While the Tiana’s Bayou Adventure ride is currently under construction in Disneyland, Tiana’s Palace restaurant is getting ready to open its doors to hungry guests — and we got a sneak peek at what to expect!

At a recent media event at Disneyland, we were able to get a first look (and taste) of the food coming to Tiana’s Palace! We did not actually step foot inside the restaurant, but we can’t wait to when it opens on September 7th. Let’s go through what you’ll be able to try at the restaurant!

Drinks

Starting off strong, we got a first look at Joffrey’s Coffee Chicory Cole Brew with Sweet Cream. This one is for adventurous coffee lovers! It has a unique taste that almost tastes like firewood…but in a good way. We also noticed hints of chocolate and enjoyed it overall, but it is definitely a new flavor you probably haven’t had before.

You can also snag Ray’s Firefly Glow Cube. Seriously, how cute is this little take-home?! There is a limit of 10 per person per transaction.

Let’s eat!

Food

On the sides menu, you can snag the Buttermilk Cornbread and we highly recommend doing so! It’s pretty sweet and slightly sticky with a nice honey flavor. This is a nice accompaniment to any meal here!

Moving onto the entrees, we tried the Gulf Shrimp and Grits with cheese grits and shrimp tossed in a Creole sauce. The grits were SO creamy and the cheesy flavor was great with the Creole sauce. The shrimp was a bit chewier in texture which is not our favorite, but the flavor is what impressed us.

Next, we tried the Beef Po-boy Sandwich which is slow-cooked beef coated with gravy and fully dressed with shredded lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise on a toasted New Orleans French bread. This might have been our favorite thing that we tried! The meat is super tender and almost melts in your mouth.

It comes with red beans and rice which had a nice kick to it! The beans were pretty mushy but we didn’t mind the texture combo with the rice. Finally, it comes with house-made pickles — these weren’t anything super unique but they had a nice crunch and went well with the sandwich.

Plant-based eaters can try the 7 Greens Gumbo made with white beans, okra, yams, sweet potatoes, and heirloom rice…

…or you can get the 7 Greens Gumbo with Chicken & Andouille Sausage. This gumbo was really hearty and we loved dipping our cornbread in it. The sweet potatoes and yams added a nice bit of sweetness and the greens were tender and delicious.

The chefs at Tiana’s Palace recommend the House Gumbo which is made with braised chicken, andouille sausage, and heirloom rice. While we did enjoy the 7 Greens Gumbo, this one was definitely our favorite. It has a warm spice, but be warned — it is spicier than most traditional theme park food. The sausage had a nice texture and the chicken is so tender that it falls apart in your mouth. It was one of our favorites, but it did make our noses run!

We got a first look at the Cajun Spiced Half Chicken which is brushed with house-made chicory BBQ sauce and served with backed macaroni and cheese and coleslaw.

We also got a first look at the Muffuletta Sandwich which is made of mortadella, salami, rosemary ham, cheddar, provolone, and house-made olive relish on toasted New Orleans sesame seed bread.

It wouldn’t be Tiana’s restaurant without beignets! We tried the House-filled Beignet that is filled with a lemon ice box pie filling topped with a lemon glaze. If you don’t get anything else on the menu, you at least have to try this. We wanted to lick the plate clean of this filling — it’s THAT good. This is the only dessert on the menu, but it is a standout.

Another fun part of the beignet experience is that there will be a station showing guests how the beignets are filled. There is a possibility for new flavors in the future, but we were super impressed with the lemon!

Looking for a souvenir from the restaurant? Check out the Lily Pad and Lotus Cup Ceramic Set! This also comes with a House-filled Beignet — it’s a package deal!

We also got a first look at the kids’ meal options. First up is the Toasted Ham & Cheese Sandwich…

…followed by the Baked Macaroni & Cheese…

…and the Roasted Chicken Drumstick! Each meal comes with a Cuties Mandarin Orange and applesauce.

Everything Else We Know

After talking to the people behind the new restaurant, Tiana’s Palace is all about telling a story. They did not want to continue just “theme park food” but they wanted to tell a story through the food.

Guests will find a blue skylight inside Tiana’s Palace, which will open in New Orleans Square at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, Calif., on Sept. 7, 2023. Inspired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios film “The Princess and the Frog,” the reimagined quick service restaurant will serve authentic New Orleans flavors inspired by Tiana’s friends and adventures. While Tiana’s Palace is not a character dining location, guests may find Tiana in New Orleans Square. (Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort)

Since this is a quick service restaurant, Mobile Order will be available here. There will be expanded patio seating for all guests when the restaurant officially opens. There is also an expanded area by the Mobile Order window (which is located on the left hand side closer to the Banyan tree) where there is room for guests waiting to pick up their Mobile Orders. This is so these guests do not have to wait with the guests currently eating at tables.

Guests will find porcelain frogs and other references to Tiana’s life inside Tiana’s Palace, which will open in New Orleans Square at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, Calif., on Sept. 7, 2023. Inspired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios film “The Princess and the Frog,” the reimagined quick service restaurant will serve authentic New Orleans flavors inspired by Tiana’s friends and adventures. While Tiana’s Palace is not a character dining location, guests may find Tiana in New Orleans Square. (Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort)

There will be an outdoor stage with live performances to entertain guests. Disney released photos that give us a sneak peek of the decor, as well as an Instagram reel showing us a more detailed look at how the restaurant is decorated.

Guests will find Firefly Five Plus Lou instruments inside Tiana’s Palace, which will open in New Orleans Square at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, Calif., on Sept. 7, 2023. Inspired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios film “The Princess and the Frog,” the reimagined quick service restaurant will serve authentic New Orleans flavors inspired by Tiana’s friends and adventures. While Tiana’s Palace is not a character dining location, guests may find Tiana in New Orleans Square. (Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort)

Youll want to be sure that you look up in the restaurant to notice all the jazz instruments and details, and inside the main dining area, you’ll find it always looks like blue skies above with beautiful flower lamp accents.

Want to see more from Tiana’s Palace before it opens? Check out our other posts:

We’ll give you a full review of Tiana’s Palace when it officially opens on September 7th at Disneyland Park. Stay tuned to AllEars for more updates!

Why You’ll Actually WANT To Wait Hours for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disney

What do you think? What are you most excited to try at Tiana’s Palace? Let us know in the comments!

Disclosure: We were invited by Disneyland to attend a media event for Tiana’s Palace. This did not affect our reporting of the event — our opinions are our own.